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DANIEL BARNUM, OF' NEW YORK, N. Y.

SURFACE CONDENSER.

Speccation forming part of Letters Patent No. 24,087, dated May 24:, 18591; Reissued October 13,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, DANIEL BARNUM, of

' the city, county, and State of New York,

' constructing have invented a new and useful Mode of Constructing Tubular or Surface Condensers for Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and clear description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of the condenser exhibiting the whole interior so plainly as scarcely to require a reference by letter. Fig. 2 is an end view of the condenser with the cap, which forms one of the condensing water compartments, removed, showing the ends of the tubes in place, with the joints made, by inserting rings of india rubber, or other flexible packing, within recesses, without followers, and dispensing with mechanical pressure upon a portion of packing immediately surrounding each tube so as to have its elasticity free to yield under the self adjusting pressure of the water and of the vacuum, to the expansions and contractio-ns of the tubes without slipping on the metal or breaking the j oints-whereby I secure perfectly tight and yielding joints, in contradistinction to slipping joints as heretofore used by Hall and others.

The nature ofmy invention consists in my condenser with joints around each tubemade of vulcanized india rubber or other flexible packing in the form of rings within recesses in the condensing water compartments without followers, or in any equivalent way leaving the elasticity of the packing free to yield and in combination with the self adjusting pressure of the water and the vacuum to make perfectly tight and yielding joints that will compensate the expansions and contractions in each tube separately without causing the packing to slip on the metal, or in any way disturbing the perfect contact of such portions of packing and tubes as were originally brought together in making the joints tight, by which means all liability of fracture or leakage from unequal expansion or contraction in the tubes is entirely obviated, and also in so proportioning the size and number of the tubes, as that their aggregate capacity shall be equal to the capacity of the supply pipemeaning by the size-that the tubeL shall be so small, that the water 'passing'through it at nearly the velocity of the current in the supply pipe, will be raised in temperature with equal rapidity, and to an equal extent with the water in the spray of the jet, as ordinarily used-meaning also by the number-that the tubes shall be multiplied until there is the same capacity for the passage of the water (allowing for extra friction) ask shall equal the supply pipe, so that the whole volume of condensing water will pass through the exhaust steam, and through the condenser, in rapid streams, assimilating the streams in the jet-so that each portion will absorb its due proportion of heat in its passage through the exhaust steam, with a facility equal to the spray of the jet, from which it differs only in the intervention of the metal, composing the tubes-and in the continuance of the spray entirely through the condenser, instantly expelling the heat as fast as it is absorbed in condensing the steam. The advantage thus obtained more than compensating for the loss of time in transmitting the heat through the metal.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I remark that I first provide a case or body'for my condenser as seen at A Fig. l, having two heads, into which are to be tted loosely, a sufficient number of small tubes, of about one eighth of an inch interior diameter, and about four feet 'in length-to have their aggregate areas, or capacity for the passage of condensing water through the body of the condenser (allowing for extra friction in the small tubes) equal the area or capacity of the supply pipe-my object being' to arbitrarily divide the whole volume of condensing water into a combined series of small jets or currents entirely through the body of the condenser, from one condensing water compartment to the other-each jet being Sufliciently rapid to produce friction on the metal and prevent deposits, by carrying all sedimentary matter and heat instantly out of the condenser. Thus keeping the tubes practically clean and maintaining cold and active condensing surfaces on all the tubes.

The j o-ints between the tubes and the heads or tube sheets may be made with india rubber or other flexible packing applied within recesses in the condensing water compartments, dispensing with followers, as seen in Fig. Q, itA being; my intention to leave the.Y elasticity of the packing free to yield, and'V to combine it, with the self adjusting pres'- sure of the water and with the vacuum,` so as to secure their united action in makin@ perfectly tight joints that will yield an compensate the varying lengths of the tubes WithoutL slipping. This methody of mak-ingjoints will enable any competent engineer to remove defective tubes and to replace them with, perfect jointswith facility at sea.

I have'found by experiment that a stream, orcolumn, of water; of4 aboutv one eighthv of an inch diameter,l and four feet long, passing through a: tube (surrounded by exhaust steam.) under a pressure. of'iifteen pounds to'the square inch, will be raised` in. tempera ture-toas high a degree as-is useful in forming a, vacuumthus proving,.that, the same quantity ot water that' is ordinarily used` in the jet-condensere-.when divided into: 'streams ofv about oneV eighth of an-` inch. in

diameterand exposed to exhaust steam. in

tubes four feet long-ands passing throughy them under a velocity due-to a pressure off` fifteen pounds--toithesquare inch',.will securea constant, cold and active condensingl surface, and condense the same quant-ityV ofy steamA as in. the jet condenser; The teniperatureof the-water after passing throughE the tubes, shows that theV heat, is absorbed. with equal. facility with. the et, andy in. addiF tion tol this, it is instantly expelledE from the condenser, whilethe spray in; thejet falls tothe bottom retaining the heat, until it is removedbythe slow motion of the air pump. The advantage thus obtained more than compensates for the. intervention of the metal, or loss of time in; the transmission of the heat4 throughV the sameshowing that my condenser need not-.be enlarged, as comparedl with the jet condenser. theV same rule whiclr determines the requisite capacityv for aijet condenser, and alsofor'the injection or supply pipe, determines theV same pointsfor- 1ny= condenser-and when theseare determined, the requisite number of small'` tubesV for the condenser' may be known as above stated;

Arr examination ofFig: 1 will show that I reverse the ordinary arrangement of surface condensers. That is, through the tubes, and condense thel steam upon thel out side of them. I am thus en abled to divide the condensing water-into small streams, andi to-` force' theml through the condenser, surroundedY by the exhaust steam, in rapid currents-thus assimilating thel spray off the jet, in* thel simultaneous exposure oflv the whole volume of wat'er at its lowest temperature, in as tubular spraysecuring;I a const-ant, cold and active con` densin'g surface in all the tubes. It may be'- seen' also that the* quantity of`water within the condenser at onetime, is less than inthe Therefore I pass the water steam, presents new, and important, feaF f tures in steam condensers, securing all the advantages ofthe jet condenser, and at the saine time avoiding all; the difliculties here tofore experienced inl all surface condensers. The drawing, Fig; 1, also shows the caps upon each` end' of the condenser, embracing the ends of all the tubes. It will of course be understood that the supply pipeis to be attached; toone of these, and the delivery pipe to the other. Flangesfor the exhaust pipe as well as the fresh water are shown.

The necessary pumps are of course to be furnished for supplying condensing water, as-wellas to remove the fresh water and air from the condenser. The size or proportion 'ofA these must conform to, the power of the :engine and. the quantity of steam used. In` this connection, I remark that I am enabled to. dispense with. theA large air pump of the jet condenser, thus effecting an important :saving in power-for, lifting the condensing water from the condenser as in the Jet, necessarily involves the expenditure of a large jamount of power; while the supply for: my

cendenser may be taken in and passed out fon the same level, involving no more ex- 1 give the water'motion.

penditure of power than is necessary to Inv Fig l alsol may bey seen ay large valve, the obj ect of which` is,

to enable me to use the engine high pressure in: caseof accident, as well as to relieve any pressure which may occur within the` condenser, tending to blow out the packing `from the tubes, and also to expel the air from the engine and condenser before starting the engine. It will of course be understood that the necessary facilities for access tothe tubes, either in thecaps or condenser,

lmay behad through the ordinary means of what is termed man holes.

It should be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the preciser diameter or length of the tubes, named. Experience- `may prove these may be varied and yet secure efficiency in condensation in the manner herein described.

Having thus fully described the nature' of my invention, a-nd shown the method of realizing its advantngesl I remark, that a surface condenser possessingV the convenience as to size, efliciency as to condensation, and durability in materialsand construction of the jet condenser has long been a desideratum in all condensing steam engines, but more especially for purposes of navigation. Various plans, at various times, have been essayed to produce such a condenser, but hitherto without success. In all the plans heretofore essayed, convenience has been sacrificed, in the increased size which those plans rendered necessary to accommodate the mass of tubes used, and the large quantity of water required, to submerge or cover them. Condensation in those plans also, has been sluggish and inefficient, as compared with-the jetcondenser, for the obvious reason, that the cold water for condensation, instead of being divided into small streams, and exposed to the exhaust steam, like the spray of the jet, or assiinilating to it (as with my improvements) by simultaneously covering all parts of the tubes, and thus presenting a constant, cold and active condensing surfaceis delivered into, and mixed with, the large body of water in the condenser, and already in contact with that surface, so that its temperature is raised before it reaches the tubes, and its best effects are therefore lost-no part of the condensing surface having the benefit of the water at its lowest temperature. Another reason of inefficiency of condensation in those plans may be found, in the length of time the water remains in the condenser, in contact with the tubes-affording facilities, both in time and temperature, for the deposition of sedimentary matterforming scale upon them. These difficulties are entirely obviated in my condenser in the rapid motion of the water through the tubes, affording no time for the deposition of any saline or other sedimentary matter upon the surface of the tubesbesides, the friction of the water would ef" fectually prevent, or remove any deposits which might otherwise tend to fasten upon the metal. In nearly all those plans also, the condensers have been constructed with firm metal joints between the heads and the tubes. These have all failed from the unequal strain upon them, from the want of uniformity in the temperature of the water in the condenser in its various parts, and from the successive contractions and expansions following each exhaust of steam from the engine into the tubes, which tubes will expand or contract, more or less, in proportion as the temperature varies in .the water surrounding them in those parts of the condenser, more or less, remote from the points of reception and delivery. It therefore follows that this unequal strain, and continuous action, in the metals thus brought upon the tubes, will, and does, produce fractures and leaks, and consequent failures in the result. I may add however that the arbitrary currents and equal velocities produced 1n my improvements, would preserve equal temperatures in corresponding parts of each tube, and therefore the expansion would be the same in all the tubes, producing no strain upon them, except so far, as the temperature, or expansibility of the body of the condenser, might vary from that of the tubes, and consequently the durability of a condenser with metal joints would be much enhanced by my invention-in preserving equal temperatures in the tubes and relieving the strain upon them.

It should be understood that the word spray as used in this specification means the combined series of ets or small streams into which the whole volume of condensing water is arbitrarily divided, whether it is used in connection with my improvements, or the ordinary jet-condenser, my invention being to show a similarity between them in the simultaneous distribution of the whole of the condensing water, at its lowest temperature, and in continuous small streams or jets, to the exhaust-steam, the difference being found, mainly, in the intervention of the metal composing the tubes, which continue the jets entirely through the body of the condenser and carry the heat instantly out of the condenser and vacuum.

I am aware that Hall, Peirson and others have constructed surface condensers with clusters of small tubes-but in all cases heretofore, the condensing water space, within the body of the condenser (relatively with the supply pipe) has formed a large reservoir of water covering the tubes, the steam being condensed within the tubes, consequently the cold condensing water is delivered into, and mixed with the warm water, already in contact with the condens ing surface in which its temperature and velocitye-or the benefits of them are losthence their failure-while my success is secured by the small jets, and rapid currents, which brings each portion of the condensing water at its lowest temperature into direct contact with some portion of the metal of some one of the tubes, upon the opposite side of which the steam is being condensed. This result can not be accomplished with their arrangements for condensing the steam within the tubes or by the condensing water being applied to the outside of them. I do not therefore claim clusters of small tubes-merely as such-knowing they have been used by others, but not in the manner, or under the same arrangements, or producing the same results as are herein described and shown. Nor do I claim making a series of tubular joints, (in constructing tubular surface condensers) in one continuous sheet of india rubber packing; nor do I claim compensating joints around each tube except when made in the condensing water compartments of tubular surface condensers,

so as to leave the elasticity of the packing f free to yield to the varying lengths of the tubes Without slipping; nor do I claim a relief valve.

Vhat I claim as my invention and which I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States isl. The method substantially as specified of making yielding` joints between the tubes and tube sheets in the condensing water compartments of surface condensers and of thus compensating the expansions and contraction in t-he tubesuby the means of leaving a portion of india rubber or other elastic packing immediately surrounding each tube free so that its elasticity can yield longitudinally with the tubes and compensate for their varying lengths Without causing the packing to slip on the metal-substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. I claim also the combination of a relief valve with yielding joints (without followers) in the condensing Water compartments of surface condensers for the purpose of preventing the blowing out of the packing, and thus preserving the joints substantially as specified.

DANIEL BARNUM.

lVitnesses SAML. GRUBB, ARTHUR L. MCINTIRE. 

